Suboxone treatment/withdrawel

I have been on suboxone for a couple of years..very successful. I have slowly tapered to 4 mg. I have tried to go to 2 mg, only being able to tolerate for a couple of days and gone back to 4 mg. I have gotten it through a clinic that charges me 140 per week. I tried to go to a doctor in the past and was unsuccessful because of the 30 patient limit. I understand that has now changed to 100 patients and will look into going to a doctor. Can anyone tell me what I can expect? Is any visit or prescription able to be covered by insurance? What are doctors charging for their visits and medication? Has anyone ever succesfully come of suboxone?

I have along addiction history. This is the longest period of time with no "drama" about 5 years. I just cant afford this stuff anymore but I know the alternative is much worse. I feel between a rock and a hard place. I don't want to force myself off because I know where that can lead but financially I am hurting. I have a good job with insurance but have had to pay everything out of pocket with this clinic I am at. Any guidance, suggestions, or feedback is much appreciated.

It's so encouraging to hear that you've been on suboxone for 2 years successfully. I am on sub right now, for the second week, 3rd time. I've had a hard time with it- not enjoying the side effects and it's not curbing my desires to use hydros. Someone told me that I wasn't taking enough to stop the cravings (I was trying to stick to 4 mg) so I'm back to 8. I had a 15-20 a day norco habit for the past several years, I guess 4.

Anyway, enough about me. To answer your questions, I am in Texas and have aetna. I went to a sub doc in march after the restrictions lifted (from 30 patients to 100). If you go to the website and search for doctors you will find a lot more than when you first started. You are going to hate hearing this, but I went to a primary care doc who just got approved for sub. I paid cash for the first visit, which was $95. (I paid cash b/c I didn't want it on my insurance that I had a drug addiction, and I didn't think insurance would pay.) He wrote me a prescription for sub and decided to make it for pain management instead of addiction (using his pain dea # instead of addiction med dea #). I got the script filled at my local cvs and it was $10 copay for 90 pills. Got a refill even. I then called my primary care doc, b/c I'm on an hmo, and got a referral to the sub doc. I went back to him and it was only a $15 copay. Since I had already paid him $95 I didn't pay anything. I felt like I should get part of my money back from first visit, but I didn't. He told me about the clinics that are charging hundreds and thousands of dollars. A drawback to him is that he didn't have sub handy to give me on my first visit. I had to suffer to get to the pharmacy and wait for them to fill it. However, I'm a single mom and if these costs weren't so low I never would have been able to do it. I've thought about sub for years, and everyone else I called in the past year or so wanted $250 on first visit, $100 a week or so, come in every week for the refill, etc.

However, if I had one of those docs maybe I wouldn't have slipped and decided to take myself off of sub. Maybe that's part of why it's not successful for me. This doc knew me from doing MRI's on my back, had written me scripts for pain pills, and knew that my addiction resulted from having actual pain. He decided to treat me like a pain patient instead of an addict, which was nice. Nice that's it's not on my insurance at least. I think if he had treated me like an addict (that I am) and demanded that I get in counseling or a 12 step program (like sub docs are supposed to) then maybe I also wouldn't be thinking of stopping the sub again and calling in my last refill on norcos. I'm trying so hard to stay clean but the power that hydros have over me is devestating. I really thought the sub would help more than it does.

Anyway, good luck to you! You could also call your insurance. If you have any pain problems I would start calling pain management doctors to see if any of them prescribe sub. That way your insurance would definitely pay for it and you would get refills and have a copay.

Just a suggestion.... why not just call your insurance carrier and ask about coverage? It is not a big deal at all. Most insurances do cover addiction issues and most offer at least a 30 day rehab (inhouse) at least once. They can even supply you with the names of doctors they work with in your area! Personally, I would make the call immediately and relieve my mind with the knowledge one way or another. pick up that phone and then let us all know the results.

2nd Chance

think if he had treated me like an addict (that I am) and demanded that I get in counseling or a 12 step program (like sub docs are supposed to) then maybe I also wouldn't be thinking of stopping the sub again and calling in my last refill on norcos.

Baby Girl, a doctor's demand is not needed to go to a 12 step program! Only the knowledge in ourselves is necessary for us to get proactive and utilize the resources out there! Are you attending a 12 step program or following the Big Book now? I hope so. It is a wonderful resource.

No, I'm not in a 12 step meeting. I've been thinking about starting therapy with an addictionologist (sp?). My mom thinks that I should see a psychologist instead of a psychiatrist b/c I feel suicidal sometimes and the psychiatrist could commit me against my will to an institution. I'm wondering how much of my depression is because of my constant inner struggle with drugs. I know I need help! I just don't really know where to begin or what to do. I smoke pot about once a week or so and I know if I start a 12 step meeting it will be out with all drugs and I'm not sure I can handle that. I'm also afraid of anyone finding out about my problems.